The polar vortex has shifted north …

The bad news is that I still have to pay for heat in the north – the fall bill was $263 – and snow removal for insurance purposes. So, it’s pay, pay, pay no matter which end I’m on.

With the bad weather to the north, it’s surprising how many people are on the road south. I met a couple from Keswick – part of my old stomping grounds – at the Waffle House, yesterday. Not surprisingly, they were heading south to Florida. Flocks of Canada geese are also stopping by on their way south.

Some disturbing news about the publisher. I decided to Google his other company’s name (which is being closed down) and discovered that there is a complaint regarding the alleged breach of contract and sales figures.

I haven’t heard anything more from him, but I am optimistic. Nonetheless, my concern is that all my books are presently published with him, so if they aren’t being printed, my sales are dead in the water.

Such is life as an author.

Antebellum Christmas

The Christmas season was a special time of year for everyone in the south, and preparations began well before the day itself. Provisions had to be ordered, sometimes from as far away as Savannah or New Orleans, and the manor house decorated for the many guests that were invited.

Here are a couple of examples (albeit modern) to give you an idea of what they may have looked like.